1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a radio frequency (RF) coil and magnetic resonance imaging device including the RF coil, and more particularly, to an RF coil and magnetic resonance imaging device including the RF coil with an improved structure for fixing the RF coil easily onto a transport table.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, a medical imaging apparatus acquires information about a patient and provides corresponding images. The medical imaging apparatus includes an X-ray device, an ultrasonic diagnostic device, a Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner, a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) device, and the like.
Among them, the MRI device is relatively free from image scanning conditions and provides excellent soft-tissue contrast and various diagnostic information images, thereby holding a key position in areas of diagnostics.
MRI is a medical technique to use magnetic fields that are harmless to human bodies and radio frequencies (RF) that are non-ionizing radiation, to cause nuclear magnetic resonance to the nuclei of hydrogen atoms in the body, thereby imaging the density and physicochemical properties of the atomic nuclei.
Specifically, the MRI device images an internal part of an object by supplying energy at a certain frequency while applying a magnetic field to the inside of the gantry and converting energy emitted from the atomic nuclei to a signal.
In this regard, an RF coil is used to receive the energy emitted from the atomic nuclei, and the RF coil may be arranged separately from the patient table. Generally, the RF coil may be kept separately from the patient table at ordinary times, and connected to the patient table to be used in MRI scanning.
If the RF coil is moved during an MRI scan, desired MRI images may not be obtained, so there is a need for an RF coil fixing structure to fix the RF coil. To prevent the RF coil from slipping, a substance with high friction, such as rubber is generally attached onto the bottom face of the RF coil. Furthermore, a base structure fixed onto a transport table may be used to prevent the movement of the RF coil. In the former case where the RF coil is used with the substance having high friction, such as rubber attached onto the bottom face, whether the RF coil is fixed may depend on whether the patient is conscious. For example, movement of the RF coil may be prevented during an MRI scan while the patient is conscious, but the RF coil may be moved by the movement of the patient during an MRI scan while the patent is unconscious. In the latter case where the RF coil is used with the base structure fixed onto the transport table, it is difficult to handle the RF coil due to increased weight of the RF coil. Furthermore, an MRI scan of the patient has to be performed on the transport table, a portion of which has different thickness increased due to the base structure, in which case the patient might complain about inconvenience.